Hygroscopic hair curler



1963 HEIHACHI MITSUMOTO 3,415,255

HYGROSCOPIC HAIR CURLER Filed June 17, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.HEIHACHI M/m/Moro ArronuEv 1968 HEIHACHI MITSUMOTO 3,415,255

HYGROSCOPI C HAIR CURLER Filed June 17, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.HEIHAcm M/m/Ma r0 A TT'OAA/E Y United States Patent 3,415,255HYGROSCOPIC HAIR CURLER Heihachi Mitsumoto, 20 Nishi 0i 413,Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed June 17, 1965, Ser. No. 464,755 5Claims. (Cl. 13239) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hair curling deviceconsisting of a cylindrical roller having a flanged spool-shaped core onthe shank of which a Layer of hygroscopic material is disposed, fillingthe space between the flanges of the core. A cover of fabric or othersuitable fibrous material surrounds the core to retain the hygroscopicmaterial. A roller-embracing clip is used with the device to retainrolled-up wet hair strands on the roller and to allow moisture to beabsorbed from the hair strands by the hygroscopic material so that thestrands will retain a curled configuration after they are dry.

This invention relates to hairdressing, and more particularly to a newand improved method and device for curling and waving hair without usingcomplicated appliances or special waving or curling solutions.

Curled or waved hair has long been regarded as desirable and has beenobtained by various methods, identified as permanent waving. Earlypermanent waving involved expensive, lengthy and complicated operations.Subsequently, many improvements have been made in this process. Animportant development was the invention of a process called cold wave.The cold wave process was very desirable for the reason that the hairwas protected from burns and that curls and waves were obtained closelyresembling natural ones. The cold wave is accomplished by rolling thehair on various types of curlers and steaming the hair by chemicalaction at ambient temperature. However, the cold wave process stillrequires a long time, and a special solution is necessary to treat thehair chem ically. In the curling operation by the cold wave process, amultiple strand of hair is rolled on a curler, called a rod, and istreated with a cold wave solution. The hair strands which have beensaturated with the solution are left rolled on the rods for about 20 to30 minutes. Then the hair is carefully washed to rinse off the solution.After rinsing and drying, the hair strands are rolled again on haircurlers to give a desired form to the hair, using a set lotion. The hairwhich has been moistened with the set lotion must be dried to obtain thelast finish. The drying of the hair is effected by keeping the head in adryer for a long time. In employing the dryer, it is necessary for aperson to sit patiently until her hair is completely dried. Conventionalhair dryers impose considerable discomfort on the user even if theoperation is performed in a beauty salon which is provided with airconditioning equipment. This is due mainly to the fact that the usershead is exposed to a high temperature for a long time. Furthermore,since the solution employed for a cold wave uses chemicals, care must betaken to avoid damage to the scalp and hair by the chemical action.Therefore, hair dressing by the cold wave method can be carried outsuccessfully and safely only by a skilled beautician. It is also truethat it requires at least two hours to perform the cold wavehairdressing process.

Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide ahairdressing method and device which avoids the use of a hot unpleasantdryer and a special solution, and to facilitate the achievement of amodern home permanent wave.

The present invention is based on the fact that moisture can soften hairsufliciently to permit changing its shape,

3,415,255 Patented Dec. 10, 1968 and that rapid dehydration or drying ofthe wet hair causes it to retain its shape when a curl or wave isincorporated therein before drying.

In accordance with the present invention, when a person desires to haveher hair curled or waved, she is required only to moisten her hair androll it on a special rod member. It is not necessary to employ a specialsolution, such as one which might injure or damage the scalp or hair.Washing of the hair or spraying water on the hair is enough to changethe shape of the hair.

The present invention relies on the use of :a hair curler, on which thehair is rolled, which has a special ability to rapidly and efiicientlyabsorb moisture from the wet hair, whereby the hair will be dried by thecurler itself and will be retained in its new curled or rolled form.Thus, the permanent waves can be obtained without using a specialsolution or an unpleasant hot dryer.

It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a novel meansfor curling hair and for drying same to impart a new form thereto.

When viewed under a microscope, human hair is seen to include scale-likeshell particles. When the hair is dried by exposure to heat, thescale-like particles flare outwardly, whereby the hair presents a coarsesurface. Such a coarse surface tends to absorb moisture and to collectdust. Thus, hair which has been dressed by the cold wave process, usinga hot dryer, cannot retain its dressed-up form for any substantiallength of time, and the hair and scalp tend to become easily soiled. Inaccordance with the present invention, the drying of the hair is notdone by applying heat thereto, but at room temperature. When hair isdressed by the technique of the present invention, each strand has asmooth surface. Thus, it can retain its dressedup form for a long time,.and has a minimum tendency to become soiled.

The hygroscopic hair curler of the present invention may be of anydesirable shape or form, such as cylindrical, disc-shaped, or in theform of a rollable pad, and may include elements made of cardboard,cloth, or other fibrous material. The hygroscopic material used mayconsist of silica gel, calcium chloride, kaolin, or any other suitablehygroscopic material.

The curler, after it has been saturated with moisture by the usethereof, may be dried by heating it or drying it sufliciently to recoverits former hygroscopic nature. Thus, the curler of the present inventioncan be used repeatedly and economically.

The features of the invention together with the objects and advantagesthereof will best be understood by reference to the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, showingan example of a typical form of hair curler according to the presentinvention, the curler being shown in perspective, with parts broken awayto reveal details of internal construction.

Referring now to the drawings, the curler comprises a generallycylindrical main curler body 25 and a clip device 26 adapted tolongitudinally embrace the body 25 and to retain rolled-up wet hairstrands thereon. The clip device 26 comprises a perforated channelmember 27 having a wire bail 2? pivoted to one end thereof at 28, thebail having a transverse bight element 30 lockingly engageable over acatch lug 31 at the other end of member 27. Member 27 has theventilation apertures 32 distributed thereover.

The cylindrical curler body 25 comprises a substantially rigidspool-shaped core having a cylindrical elongated main portion 21provided with circular ends 22, defining annular flanges at the oppositeends of the core. A layer 20 of a suitable dessicating agent ordehydrating agent is disposed on portion 21, filling the space betweenthe annular flanges. The dehydrating agent may comprise silica gel,calcium chloride, kaolin, or any other suitable hygroscopic material.The core may be made of cardboard or any other sufliciently rigid lightmaterial. The outer surface of the layer 20 is covered by a retainingcover 24 of fabric, strong paper, or similar fibrous material throughwhich moisture can pass, the member 24 serving as a transmission mediumfor allowing moisture from the hair to pass to the layer 20 ofdehydrating agent. The cover 24 extends over the end flanges of the coreso as to retain the cover on the core. The cover acts to retain thedehydrating agent on the core body main portion 21. Said cover alsoimproves the appearance of the curler.

The layer 20 may be fabricated in cylindrical form from pellet or powdermaterial.

In the curling operation, the moist hair is rolled on the cylindricalcurler 25 and is clipped by the clip device 26. The moisture of the hairis rapidly absorbed by the dehydrating agent in the layer 20. Thus, thewet hair will be quickly dried by the curler. When the hair is releasedfrom the curler by unfastening the clip device 26, the curled hairstrands will retain their new rolled form. Accordingly, it is notnecessary to employ an unpleasant hot dryer to obtain a permanent wave.

The used curlers, saturated with the absorbed moisture, can bereactivated to restore their former hygroscopic nature by heating anddrying them, so that they can be used repeatedly, with accompanyingeconomic advantages.

As above mentioned, the curls and waves formed by the present inventioncan retain their shape for a longer time than those formed byconventional curling or waving processes or devices, because hair driedby heating has a coarse surface, with flaring scale-like particles whichtend to absorb moisture, softening the hair strands so that the curlsand waves formed by these conventional processes or devices cannotretain their shape for a long time.

While a specific embodiment of a hair curler device has been disclosedin the foregoing description, it will be understood that variousmodifications within the spirit of t 4 the invention may occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations beplaced on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. A hair-drying curler device comprising a substantially cylindricalrigid spool-like body having an elongated main portion provided withcircular end flanges, a layer of hygroscopic powder material on saidentire main portion filling the space between said end flanges, and acover of imperforate fibrous material through which moisture can passsecured to and surrounding said body and extending over said end flangesfor retaining the layer of hygroscopic material on said elongated mainbody portion.

2. The hair-drying curler device of claim 1, and wherein said cover ismade of fabric.

3. The hair-drying curler device of claim 1, and wherein saidhygroscopic material comprises silica gel.

4. The hair-drying curler device of claim 1, and wherein saidhygroscopic material comprises calcium chloride.

5. The hair-drying curler device of claim 1, and wherein saidhygroscopic material comprises kaolin,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,646,053 7/ 1953. Harris 13238 X2,394,224 2/ 1946 Altman 1327 2,757,676 8/1956 Hamilton 13242.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 952,298 11/ 1956 Germany.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. MITCHELL, Assislant Examiner.

11.8. C1. X.R. 13237

